West Brom - Fulham Betting Preview: Berbatov to score in a game filled with goals

By Al Hain-Cole

The Cottagers are in woeful form as they travel to the high-flying Baggies, but Al Hain-Cole thinks that their quality attackers can take advantage of some key defensive injuries

After a promising start to the season that had some mentioning possible European qualification, Fulham have now just won one of their last 12 matches, and now face the daunting task of a trip to West Brom.

The Baggies, on the other hand, will be in buoyant spirits after recording their best ever start to a Premier League season under the canny leadership of new boss Steve Clarke, and are favourites at even money (2.00)with Paddy Power to record their eighth win in 11 home games.

The Cottagers' notoriously poor away record has shown no signs of going away this season, and they are outsiders at 14/5 (3.80) to collect all three points on the road for just the second time this term.

Both meetings between these two sides ended in a draw last season, and you can get odds of 12/5 (3.40) on them cancelling each other out once again here.

Although they may have started looking nervously over their shoulders at the teams in the relegation zone, Martin Jol's side can take comfort in the fact that they have enough quality up front to fire themselves out of trouble.

The Cottagers have scored more than any other team in the bottom half of the league, to make up for a defence that has leaked a worrying number of goals this season.

With West Brom missing the key defensive trio of Jonas Olsson, Claudio Yacob and Youssuf Mulumbu, Clarke's men are unlikely to boast the steely resolve that has been one of their main strengths this season, and the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz are sure to get some joy.

A bet on both teams to score would have paid out in 20 of this pair's last 30 combined Premier League matches, and looks safe at 4/6 (1.67) in this encounter.

Berbatov implored his team-mates to 'Keep calm and pass me the ball' recently, and the one-time Premier League top scorer's pedigree in front of goal means that he may have a point.

The mercurial striker was used in a more withdrawn role during Ruiz's absence through injury, but the return of the Costa Rican playmaker should see him return to his favoured position up front.

The former Manchester United man is one of the division's most gifted forwards, and offers great value at 2/1 (3.00) to hit the back of the net at the Hawthorns.

Al Hain-Cole is a Liverpool fan, experienced tipster and avid follower of European football. He specialises in accumulators and if you would like to read more from Al you can follow him on Twitter here.